Carl Ablett

Quote: Inflatable_Armadillo "G1 - What is also interesting is all the keyboard warriors who think they know the laws and the various guidelines but have never taken the time to read them and just assume that they know them, or there opinion should be the law and can't understand why it isn't!

The review panel will currently be sitting looking at the videos from the weekend. The first thing is that they will watch the Ablett incident at full speed from as many angles as available, over and over again if required, and rarely look at contact with the head cases in slow-mo unless they think there is good reason to. Why? Because slow-mo distorts the viewers perception of time, as we live our life in real time and not slow-mo, they need to consider split second actions of players and what impact that had on the intent and outcome.

They have to decide if the tackle or intended tackle was either Careless, Reckless or Intentional or none of them. If they decide it was not any, they can still issue warning and letters which will be placed on a players record.

So, was Ablett Careless, Reckless or Intentional in his tackle on Tomkins? I think he was possibly Careless and maybe at a push Reckless but I do not think it was Intentional AND you have to look at the specific definitions of these terms in the guidelines. This means the 'guide' on suspension is 0 to 3 games!

Now, lets look at aggravating factors

Previous Record
Violence
Retaliation
Injury caused
Incident not part of play
Other aggravating factors

and mitigating factors

Previous Good Record
Provocation
Technique or Fitness in some cases
Genuine Remorse
Other Mitigating Factors

So, when you look at the aggravating factors for Ablett there isn't any, he does not have a previous record to speak of and did not cause injury (luckily).

When you look at mitigating factors he has a previous good (well excellent) record and suspect that he did apologise to Tomkins after the game and will tell the disciplinary panel (if he gets there) that he was remorseful. Not injuring a player is not a mitigating factor BTW, for obvious reasons.

So, is Ablett going get to get a ban? Well if he does 1 and possibly 2 matches would seem to me to be the maximum, IMO, he is looking at. [sizeI also think that, given his excellent record, that not getting one at all but being fined £300 quid along with a warning is a likely outcome[/size.

Predictions - Ok, when the review panel publish their findings this afternoon if Ablett is charged with being Careless I think it will be a fine and warning, if he gets charged with being Reckless he will get a one match ban. If he gets charged with being intentional, well I will be very surprised!

So, if my predictions come true, before the keyboard warriors start spouting the usual rubbish, read the guidelines and the reports and then tell us why they were wrong... bet you they don't though!'"